How Does Scar Revision Work?

A dog bite, burn, car accident, or major surgery are just a few of the reasons you may have conspicuous scars that make you feel self-conscious. Scars on your face and body are unsightly and disfiguring reminders of trauma. Revising these scars can have a positive impact on your self-esteem and quality of life.

At The Aesthetic Surgery Center in New York City, Elliott H. Rose, MD, has the experience and skills needed to effectively revise scars, minimizing their appearance so they blend more readily with the surrounding skin tone and texture. He’s been involved in scar revision surgery for complex cases and can help you improve the look of your scars, too.

Scar revision often involves multiple steps, and how it looks in the end depends on the type of scar, where it’s located, and your personal healing. Learn more about the process of scar revision and how you can benefit from Dr. Rose’s expertise. 

Treat all types of scars

Minor scars can be revised with topical treatments and other minimally invasive interventions like laser therapy. Traumatic scars that are the result of a dog bite, crush injury, or burns may require more involved treatments. 

Dr. Rose is an expert when it comes to atrophic scars. These scars look like an indentation in your normal layer of skin. They develop when your body is unable to regenerate tissue. Dog bites, severe acne, and surgery can leave these types of scars on your face or body. 

You may also benefit from scar revision for hypertrophic scars that look pink, purple, or red. They’re usually puffy and extend beyond the area of the original injury. Surgery, deep cuts, and burns often lead to these types of scars. 

Some people seek scar revision for contractures, which develop when you lose a lot of tissue during injury. These types of scars restrict your movement, especially when they cross a joint. 

Dr. Rose can also revise scars that occur when foreign objects become embedded in the skin. This could be asphalt particles, pebbles, or shrapnel, and lead to a look known as “traumatic tattooing.”

It’s important for you to remember one thing: Scar revision can greatly improve the look and prominence of your scar, but the process cannot erase your scars completely.

The process of revision

Exactly how your scar is treated depends on the type and location aas well as the desired outcome. If your scar(s) are too severe for Fraxel laser treatment, Dr. Rose may recommend surgical scar revision. 

After surgical excision of the existing scar, Dr. Rose may choose one of several techniques. The most common include:

Layered closure

Dr. Rose may use this technique if the excision to remove the scar extends deep below the skin surface or it’s in an area with a high degree of movement, like an elbow or knee. 

He’ll close the wound beneath the surface of the skin with dissolvable sutures and then continue to close each layer subsequently until he reaches the surface wound. To reduce the scar’s appearance and restore flexibility, he’ll use the latest advances in technology to seal the wound and promote healing. 

Tissue grafts

If there isn’t enough healthy tissue around the scar area, Dr. Rose may recommend a tissue graft using donated skin from an inconspicuous place on your body or a tissue bank. Once the scarred tissue is removed, Dr. Rose places the healthier looking tissue at the site. Grafts are often used for burn scars. 

Complex scar revision using tissue grafts takes precision and may require multiple procedures to get you the best possible outcome. 

Additional steps in scar revision

If you have severe facial scarring, Dr. Rose uses 3D imaging to help create a new facial framework. He follows this framework to recreate facial shape and symmetry to restore the look of your familiar features.

Trust Dr. Rose of The Aesthetic Surgery Center when you need scar revision. He has experience in helping people restore their look. Dr. Rose welcomes patients from around the world, so anyone can become a patient with us. Call our New York City office today for a consultation or use the online tool to book.